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Tuesday, March 20, 2018

It's part of my weekend morning producing ritual-- go to the lottery web sites to check the payouts.They are usually updated around 2 AM, unless there is a big jackpot. That usually slows things down a bit.

I had to look twice Sunday morning, when I saw that a Powerball ticket worth $ 457 million was sold here in Pennsylvania. That's news! I put lottery stories in the "local news" segments of the broadcast. The lottery is huge here in our area. There is usually a line at the mini mart machines, even when the jackpots aren't enormous.

So, where do I fall in this whole thing? I'm thrilled a Pennsylvanian knocked off a big Powerball jackpot, but it's not going to change my view. If you enjoy playing the lottery, outstanding! I wish you all the luck in the world. It's just not for me. The odds aren't very good, and I'd rather spend my money on other things.

I've tried the casinos a few times over the years. It's really not all that difficult to break even on the slots. However, after just a few minutes of pushing buttons, I get bored. I really don't know how people can do it hour after hour. Again, if you enjoy it, keep doing it.

Table games? While I'm a smart person and know the rules, I still find them rather intimidating. They're not for me.

It's odd because I loved dice games as a kid-- studying potential rolls, odds and possibilities. I'm still fascinated, in a way, but my money stays in my pocket.

Monday, March 19, 2018

Of course, this blog has been very personal during its 13.5 years of existence, but it was never really intimate. That's by design. Don't be offended. There are some things that are simply none of your business, and I'm sure you have some of the same feelings with your personal life.

However, I have to share a couple of fast stories, both of which took place last week. One incident was to my face. The other was behind my back.

I received a phone call from an old friend, who was touched by a blog entry several months ago. She called to let me know. I nearly cried, and I could sense she was holding back some tears. It was great to hear her voice again, even though it was under awful circumstances. The phone call meant a lot to me.

On a happier note, one broadcaster told a friend that she thought I was a very good news writer. It made my day. In fact, it made my week, and then some.

I was taught a long time ago, that the best question is the direct one. The best sentence is the simple one.

I was so lucky, in that I trained under some great radio news people. You learned to write basic and fast. I'm sorry there isn't much radio news around these days. It was a great place for young people to get a feel for the business.

My first television station had a message board that popped up on the screen when you fired up your computer. Apologies for telling this story again, but it's been a while. On the message board, it said "TIGHT WRITING = TOP CASTS." It is true for producers. It is true for reporters. It is true for anyone who site behind the keyboard. The news director responsible for that message board remains a good friend, nearly thirty years after he hired me. I am forever grateful.

Two of my coworkers back in the day should be singled out. David DeCosmo and Kevin Jordan had different styles, but both wrote some great copy. You clearly understood the story when their pieces were over, and that is an exceptionally high compliment. David is retired. We lost Kevin a few years ago.

I later worked for an assistant news director, who really didn't like me. He suggested that when I finish a script, I should walk away for a few minutes and return to take another look. Chances are, I could find a few words that could be removed to tighten up the script and make it move along a little faster. He was right.

Unfortunately, the clock is not our friend. The faster I get the script in to the hands of a video editor, the better it will be. I write, take a proofreading look, and ship it off to a manager for approval. There isn't much time to tinker.

There are times I get what I call "lyrical." The story demands it on occasion. No one does it better than Mike Stevens. He puts words to the pictures. Yet, the whole comes out greater than the sum of the parts. I envy that.

Friday, March 16, 2018

I have no reason to buy toys, and I haven't been in a Toys R Us store in many years. I think I made a total of three visits since the chain appeared here in our area. I can't tell you if it was good or bad, but I've done some reading.

It seems like a case of too much debt, not enough sales, and bad decisions by management. Someone else is doing it better. In this case, it's Walmart and Amazon.

When I was growing up, Toys means The Globe in Scranton, Sears, Sugerman's and Mermelsteins. As I grew a little older, I loved exploring a mall store called "Kids." It had a great hobby and craft section. My the time Kay Bee came in, I was out of the toy stage.

I do have to note something else. An overnight network news anchor had a great deal of fun yesterday morning, wondering if Toys R Us mascot Geoffrey Giraffe was going to fit into an unemployment office. What an insensitive idiot! 31,000 people are losing their jobs, and he tries to be funny.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

It looks like Lackawanna County is getting a county fair next year. An announcement comes today. It will happen at Montage, so one can assume that's where the fair will be located.

Are there more pressing county issues? Certainly! Quality of life and entertainment are important. Top of the list? Not even close.

If it can be done at break even, or a slight profit-- wonderful.

There is already a long list of fairs from spring through fall. People have a finite amount of disposable income. I fear a county fair will take business away from fire department carnivals and church bazaars. That remains to be seen.

Let's keep an open mind and see how this all plays out. You never know. It could be a rousing success.

While I'm on the subject, I was so happy to see a number of communities here in our area hold ice festivals and winterfests this year. Winter goes by so much faster when there is something to do.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

A couple of my coworkers put together an occasional feature for our Facebook page. It's called "Get to Know." Staffers, on and off camera, answer 16 questions. It's cute, informative, and very well done.

By the way, the grumpy old man declined to participate. I've had the blog for more than 13 years. If you don't know me by now...

Anyway, this week's subject is 6 PM news producer Brian Holmes. One of the questions was "Who is your favorite person at WNEP?" I was shocked when the answer was me.

I am truly flattered.

Brian and I go back to the old days, when we both worked across the street. We parted company in 1998, when I moved to WNEP. Brian stayed, but eventually took a couple of jobs in upstate New York, before joining WNEP eleven years ago.

The memory is exceptionally fuzzy, but I think we were part of the same group that sampled local night life.

One of the things that gives me great joy is when people you met as broadcasting and journalism pups move on to bigger things. Please note, I didn't say "better things." I still hear from a few. It makes my day when they note something they picked up from me, a long time ago.

Do yourself a favor. Check out this week's "Get to Know." Look at old ones, and keep an eye out for new ones.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Ron Allen and Mike Remish were great at celebrating the work of local high school athletes. Both are no longer with us. John Mendola's Saturday morning radio show carries on the tradition, and it's refreshing to hear someone talk about local kids doing good things. Of course, this is the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. I hope there are similar efforts in the rest of northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

The NCAA basketball tournament doesn't interest me-- unless there is a team exceeding expectations. Everyone loves a Cinderella story.

Back in the day, all the games were on CBS, and network management always found a way to switch you to the most interesting games. Now, the games are split up on several networks. It's great that you can watch the game of your choice in its entirety, but some of the magic is gone.

I spent several years at a CBS station, and the first two days of the NCAA tournament were always the worst for our telephone operators. They would field tons of calls from people upset that the soap operas were preempted. As hard as they tried, they just couldn't convey that it was a network decision, not a local one, and the soaps would pick up where they left off.

By the way, it might be a good couple of weeks to avoid sports talk radio. Nothing bores me more than hearing people talk about their brackets.

ESPN dumped Sean McDonough from the Monday Night Football both. Joe Tessitore is in. ESPN is still looking for a Jon Gruden replacement. Monday Night Football struggles because the games are bad, not the announcers. McDonough is very good. He'll be ESPN's number two guy on college football.

FOX wants NBC's Mike Tirico to do its new package of Thursday night NFL games. Why? There are a dozen, at least, who can do a better job than Tirico.

There is a web site that features network news music. I really miss the old version of the ABC News theme.

Saturday Night Live's ratings hit a season low this past weekend. It might be time to do something other than bash the president.

Sunday, March 11, 2018

It's time for my twice yearly rant on switching from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time and vice versa

Studies show it doesn't accomplish anything. Daylight Saving Time doesn't save energy. We are no longer an economy dominated by agriculture.

Some big states are considering staying on one time all year round. Once that happens, the rest will fall in line.

The only drawback I can see is kids going to school in the morning in the dark. I went through that when we switched time during the 70's energy crisis. We survived. Kids are coming home in the dark anyway, because parents try to cram too many after school activities in to their lives. I've written about this before, but I'm still shocked by the children in line at the mini mart in the morning, buying giant coffees and energy drinks. Something is wrong somewhere.

To be honest with you, it doesn't bother me. I'm up all night anyway, and that really lessens the adjustment period.

Saturday, March 10, 2018

I shared the photo you see above on social media Tuesday. It does need a little bit of an explanation.

First, Joe and I occasionally do something slightly humorous on Facebook. It's an attempt to show that I do have a lighter side, which many people still don't believe exists.

Second, I really do have an interest in the weather. My desk is near the weather office and I often stop by to see what's going on and ask questions, especially if there is a storm in the forecast.

There was a time, in my high school days, when I seriously considered meteorology as a career. I used to love watching J. Kristopher do the WNEP weather back in the day. J. wasn't a meteorologist, but he was a gifted communicator. I'm glad our time at WNEP had a slight overlap. It was a kick working with someone I really admired as a kid, and as an adult.

So, what derailed the meteorology train? Math. As I looked in to it, I discovered you had to take a lot of math courses. I was never fond of math, and some horrible experiences with a couple of awful junior high school math teachers cemented my opinion.

I strongly admire those who can do it, but I wasn't cut out to be a number cruncher. I'm a writer, and a liberal arts college like Marywood was a much better fit for me than a science based school. By the way, Joe has been teaching a meteorology course at Marywood for the past several years. He added oceanography this year. I've offered to be a guest lecturer when the chapter on mermaids comes around.

As the great Paul Harvey used to say... And now you know, the rest of the story.

Friday, March 9, 2018

Sunday night's Academy Awards telecast was down 20 per cent from last year.

I'm sure horrible weather in the northeast played a role, but you can't turn back on what is likely the major factor. Entertainment is supposed to be a diversion. An escape. No one wants to hear what some star or starlet thinks about politics. I saw clips. Despite Jimmy Kimmel's best efforts, it didn't appear to be a fun broadcast.

Yes, there should be discussions on harassment and inequality.

Time and place.

And once you delve in to politics, you automatically know that half of the country agrees with you. The rest disagrees. Can you afford to turn off half of your audience?

Other awards shows saw the drop. The NFL took a hit this year, although it is by far the most popular televised sport.

Bring back the fun.

And, Papa John's is no longer the official pizza of the NFL. In the fall, Papa John's owner said his sales were down because of the whole NFL player/National Anthem controversy, so the end of the relationship is really no surprise.

The NFL's new official pizza is Pizza Hut.

I know there is a glow attached to being the NFL's official pizza, but I chose my pies based on taste and location. In my book, the NFL is oh-for-two.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Yesterday's forecast, as far as my little corner of the valley is concerned, was a bust. What was supposed to be 16 inches turned out to be little more than a coating.

I'm not complaining, even though I did rearrange some aspects of my life to suit the forecast.

Yes, I did follow the masses to the supermarket. My run took place at 3:30 AM Wednesday. There were only two other shoppers in the store. One checkout was open. I breezed through. Diet soda, eggs, frozen pizza, fruit, Chex Mix, and one of the last bags of ice melt left on the planet.

We have whiz bang satellites and computers, but Mother Nature has a mind of her own. It turns out, the storm was kicked out to see a little faster than expected. Parts of Pennsylvania were nailed. My part wasn't. Again, no complaints.

The state appeared to be ready this time. Brine went down Tuesday afternoon. Exit ramps were salted Wednesday morning. The governor declared a state of emergency. Trucks were ordered off the roads. I hope we see more of this in the future.

While it will be tempting to needle the folks in the weather department, I will resist. Once in a while, you get a bust.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Trucks were a big part of my father's business when I was growing up. Many of my friends had family members in the trucking business. I have a great deal of respect for the profession and the people in it.

I love ordering something from Amazon or Chewy, and having it delivered to my front door in only two days. Trucks make that happen. Trucks make America work, and they are a hugely important part of the economy.

Having established that foundation, they should be ordered off the roads when big snow comes. Jackknifed tractor trailers helped clog the interstates last week, causing highways to be closed for hours. Thousands of people were stranded and that's just plain wrong. It shouldn't have happened.

Hours before the first snowflakes fell today, Governor Wolf ordered a list of trucking restrictions. It's like locking the door after the horse has run out of the barn.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The great film critics, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were discussing James Bond and super hero movies several years ago. They agreed on one point: If you have a good villain, you have a good movie.

The concept is transferable to stage and television.

On M*A*S*H, of course, the Korean War was the biggest villain, but characters in the 4077th also filled the role.

When the writers ran out of things to do with Frank Burns, played magnificently by Larry Linville, David Ogden Stiers was added to the cast. Major Charles Emerson Winchester was no Frank Burns. The comedy came from Winchester not fitting in and his snooty attitude. I'll give the producers credit for not creating a Frank Burns clone to fill the role.

Villain? Not totally, but just enough.

David Ogden Stiers died Saturday. Bladder cancer. 75.

He was more than M*A*S*H. If you have the time, look up Stiers' career on IMDB.com. It's an impressive list-- and that included voice work. Stiers had a set of pipes.

By the way, the M*A*S*H finale aired 35 years ago at the end of February.

If you have cable or satellite television, chances are you can find a M*A*S*H episode somewhere, 24/7. That's not a complaint. I'm a huge fan of the early years. However, you can't deny that David Ogden Stiers brought a lot to the table.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Let's establish a few things right off the top. Friday's storm was a monster. Rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow. The snow fell rapidly. Wind whipped it around. It was impossible to keep up with the snowfall.

Done.

Thousands of people found themselves stuck. Trapped by crashes and horrible conditions on the interstate highways. Highways closed. People couldn't move for hours. I am amazed that no one died.

This has happened before. Every time, the state says it will investigate so this never happens again. Yet, it continues to happen.

We have to face one simple fact: if we get hit by an out of the ordinary snow storm, the state can't handle it.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Tragedy brought me to Shamokin this week, but I found a quick second to snap a photo of this guy keeping an eye on one of the main streets.

I say the same thing any time I visit an old coal town" "Must have been a spectacular place at one time." I couldn't find any on-line information on the statue, but I did learn that the Shamokin/Coal Township population topped out at 50,000 in the 1920's. The city of Shamokin now has about 7,000 residents.

Friday, March 2, 2018

Katie Couric was in the right place at the right time when she was co host of NBC's "Today." She had the right combination of sweet/perky and gravitas. She stepped in and stabilized a franchise that was out of control The perfect person in the perfect job.

Couric had the desire to do other things. CBS dangled a ton of money in front of her, and I don't blame her for leaving NBC.

Let's examine the post-NBC record.

"CBS Evening News"... bombed.

Daytime talk show... bombed.

Yahoo! global anchor... bombed.

To be fair, much of the CBS failure was on the plate of weak affiliates in major cities. She didn't have much of a lead in, an issue that remains to this day.

Daytime talk shows are tough.

Couric recently blamed management at Yahoo! for her failure there. Her "broadcasts" weren't publicized. Yahoo! didn't give her enough publicity, although she did get some fat paychecks.

Keep your eye on the ball. It all comes down to this: Katie Couric didn't do anything people wanted to watch.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Before I join everyone else in going off the deep end, I do realize we can have some very cold weather and snowstorms in March, and even April.

While winter is not my favorite season, there are some things I will miss-- bundling up for a brisk walk on a winter morning, that tingle you get when walking out of the gym in single digit temperatures after a workout and a hot shower...

A new one was added to the list the other day.

I hate shaving and I rarely do it on my days off.

What I will miss about winter is splashing your face, after shaving, with the exceptionally cold water that comes out of the tap. Yes, the water is cool in the summer, but not like it is on a winter morning.

If it's a season y9u really don't like, you have to find little things that make you happy.